Ella walks into school, her curly hair bouncing with each step and a nervous but hopeful smile on her face. Around her, students of every background fill the hallway—some chatting in different languages, some wearing vibrant clothes from their cultures, and others huddled over their phones. Ella glances at her schedule, then at the sea of unfamiliar faces.

Maya, a girl with a bright scarf and an easy laugh, waves Ella over. Jinwoo, quietly sketching dragons in his notebook, shyly looks up. Amira, who wears a hijab and always seems to have a book in her hand, smiles gently. "Come sit with us, Ella! We were just talking about everyone's favorite foods," "I'd love to! Mine is spaghetti—how about you all?"

Jinwoo shares tales about Korean New Year, Maya describes Diwali’s sparkling lights, and Amira tells of Ramadan’s warm family evenings. Ella's eyes shine as she listens, feeling the room grow smaller and warmer with each story. "I love hearing about everyone’s traditions. It makes me feel closer to all of you," "Me too. It’s like we’re building our own little world here,"

Ella joins Maya, Jinwoo, and Amira at their favorite table, where everyone samples each other’s lunches. Laughter bubbles as Maya dares Ella to try a spicy samosa, and Jinwoo offers homemade kimbap. "It’s not too spicy, I promise," "Only one way to find out!"

Ella and her friends team up for a game of four-square, cheering each other on and inventing silly rules. For a moment, everyone’s differences melt away, replaced by shared joy and friendly competition. "Next time, let’s try teaching each other games from our countries," "Yes! And maybe we can have an international day,"

Ella slips her backpack on and looks at her friends—each so different, yet now so close. She feels a warmth in her chest, grateful for the tapestry they’ve started to weave together. As she waves goodbye, Ella knows tomorrow will bring even more colors to their friendship.